A hit and run driver who killed a baby and left a woman and child seriously injured after trying to ram a van off the road was jailed for seven years at the Old Bailey on Friday last week.

After the crash on April 5, Trevor Quilligan, 23, of Argyle Road, Southall fled, leaving five-month-old Kieran Tighe to die by the gates of Ealing Hospital.

The tragedy followed a duel in which Quilligan tried to force Ford Transit driver Michael O'Brien, 55, off the road.

Quilligan lost control of his Ford Sierra and hurtled at 50 mph into Aureen Green, her son Nathan, five, and the baby in a pushchair.

Quilligan then went on the run to Liverpool only giving himself up four days later.

Kieran died from head injuries and Nathan suffered serious injuries including a ruptured spleen. He was in the high dependency unit at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for four days and is still receiving psychological counselling.

The court was told the car duel began in Boston Road, Ealing as a result of a feud between two Irish families ,, the Quilligans and the O'Briens.

Mark Heywood, prosecuting, said as they neared the hospital in Uxbridge Road, Quilligan pulled into the path of the van.

O'Brien braked hard and is believed to have hit the side of the Ford, causing Quilligan to spin off the road and into the pedestrians.

'They were thrown into the air and landed heavily. Nathan was found face down on the grass bank and Miss Green was thrown into the hospital slip road,' said Mr Heywood.

Mr O'Brien gave himself up later that day.

Quilligan admitted manslaughter, two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and driving without insurance. He had no driving licence.

Passing sentence, Judge Stokes said: 'It is hard to imagine a more wicked and more irresponsible piece of driving.'